Gas cylinder carts, and in particular portable gas cylinder carts, are typically used to provide access to various gases, such as air, at remote locations. For example, fire and rescue personnel use air supply carts to provide an air supply in locations where the ambient air supply may be limited and/or contaminated. In addition, such workers may also have the need for pressurized air to run various pneumatic tools, such as saws and pry devices. In other applications, construction and steel workers use such carts to transport various cylinders of welding gases and the like, and entertainers may use such carts to transport tanks of helium and the like.
High quality gas cylinder carts and other breathing air, ventilation and safety equipment are available from Air Systems, Inc., d.b.a. Air Systems International, Inc., 821 Juniper Crescent, Chesapeake, Va., 23320, U.S.A., and are viewable at the web site www.airsystems.com. Air Systems, Inc. may also be contacted via telephone at phone number 800-866-8100 or phone number 757-424-3967.
Typically, gas cylinder carts are configured to hold one or more cylinders of gas. Often, various pressure gauges, regulators and valves are operably connected to the cylinder to allow the operator to control the flow of gas from the cylinder to the user, whether for breathing or other uses. In such an embodiment, it can be difficult and time consuming to remove various control devices from the cylinder, once emptied, and reattach them to another cylinder.
In other known embodiments, the various pressure control devices are connected to a control panel, which forms part of the cart as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,895. Typically, however, the control panel is fixedly secured or integrated into the cart, such that the cart is provided with only a single configuration or particular arrangement of control devices. Accordingly, the cart cannot be readily reconfigured to accommodate additional control devices, such as additional air ports and/or regulators. Therefore, the user of such carts may be required to keep multiple carts in inventory in order to service their various needs, with an attendant increase in the costs associated with the purchase of additional carts and the storage space required therefore.